The present invention relates, in general, to an installation system for mounting electrical components, most particularly electrical receptacle boxes in a building structure. The installation system described allows an electrician to carry a relatively small inventory of parts into the field and yet be equipped for installing electrical receptacle boxes in a variety of situations.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for mounting electrical receptacle boxes within a building so that the electrical receptacle box is positioned with its open face substantially flush with a surface (e.g., a wall, ceiling, floor, etc.) of the building.
The present invention has applicability to both xe2x80x9cnew workxe2x80x9d (e.g., completely new construction) and xe2x80x9cold workxe2x80x9d (e.g., remodeling or retrofitting already existing construction).
So-called xe2x80x9celectrical receptacle boxesxe2x80x9d (often referred to as simply xe2x80x9creceptacle boxesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coutlet boxesxe2x80x9d) are used in all types of building construction for housing electrical components such as switches and electrical outlets. Typically, such electrical receptacle boxes are mounted within the walls of the structure and are attached to a structural component such as a wall stud (or occasionally to a floor or ceiling joist) by some sort of bracket. Typically, the brackets used require the installing electrician to hold the bracket to the stud with one hand while driving the attaching nails or screws with the other hand. The installed electrical receptacle box must often align with a particular aperture provided in the wall surface itself, which may be drywall, plaster, etc. It can prove difficult to achieve adequate alignment. Moreover, the depth of the installed electrical receptacle box should be such that it aligns more or less flush with the wall surface and does not protrude or be recessed with respect thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,944 issued to Rodick relates to an outlet assembly for mounting electrical communication interface equipment and wiring to a wall stud. A pair of electrical receptacles are spot welded at their side portions to leg members formed contiguously at a ninety degree angle to a connecting member. The assembly is secured by screws or other fastening means through the connecting member to the front surface of the wall stud.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,280 issued to Rinderer relates to a two part clip for attachment to a metal wall stud and for connecting an electrical box thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,506 issued to Stuchlik, III relates to an outlet box mounting assembly having an electrical outlet box which is uniquely configured to attach to a similarly uniquely shaped mounting bracket. Edge projections provided on the outlet box are slidingly received in slots provided on the bracket, and when a boss provided on the outlet box engages an aperture provided on the bracket, further sliding travel between the two components is prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,647 issued to Arnold relates to an electrical wiring box having a pair of mounting elements attached thereto for use in mounting the wiring box within an opening in a supporting structure such as wallboard or paneling. The wiring box includes first and second mounting portions, each having a pair of spaced slots therein. Each of the mounting elements includes a pair of locking tabs and a flat portion having openings therein connected with the locking tabs. The locking tabs are adapted to be inserted into the pair of slots in the corresponding one of the mounting portions for attaching the mounting element to the wiring box. The flat portion is adapted to receive fasteners in the openings therein for mounting the wiring box to a supporting structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,640 to Arnold et al. relates to metal mounting brackets for mounting electrical wiring boxes to studs, particularly metal studs. The metal mounting brackets are generally Z-shaped and have a generally U-shaped pair of stud embracing members and a pair of tabs with stud-biting teeth provided thereon. The installer arranges the bracket so that the pair of U-shaped members embrace a first corner region of the stud. The installer then uses adjustable pliers to bend the tabs around a second curved corner region of the stud and cause the teeth associated with the tabs to bite into a second corner region of the stud.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,716 issued to Marrero relates to an electrical outlet box having a mounting bracket which is mountable on the studding of a building and a separate wiring box having substantially conventional forward-facing outlet openings. The wiring box is slidably receivable on a track-and-rail system into the mounting bracket so that the assembly can be mounted on a stud prior to the installation of wallboard, and after an access opening is cut into the installed wallboard, the wiring box can be slid out into the opening until the front faces is flush with the front surface of the wall board and then locked at that position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,029 to Ware relates to an electrical outlet box having a first portion for receiving electrical outlets, switches, cover plates and the like of standard size and a second portion telescopically associated with the first portion for increasing the interior volume of the box for accommodating electrical wires.
One object of the present invention is the provision of an installation system for an electrical receptacle box which will allow an electrician/installer to carry a relatively small inventory of parts and yet be equipped to install electrical receptacle boxes in both new work and old work situations.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an electrical receptacle box which is provided with at least one (and preferably both) of a front contact positioning device and a rear contact positioning device for positioning the depth of the electrical receptacle box with respect to the wall surface.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an electrical receptacle box of such a type which is easy for the installer/electrician to install in a wall aperture and position with respect to the wall surface.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of such an electrical receptacle box which can be used to install electrical components in both new work (i.e., new construction) as well as old work (i.e., already existing construction).
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an electrical receptacle box of the type described which is inexpensively and readily manufactured.
A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a clamping bracket for attaching an electrical receptacle box to a structural component (e.g., a wall stud) of a structure, the clamping bracket exerting a sufficient clamping force on the structural component to allow the installer/electrician to subsequently fixedly attach the clamping bracket to the structural component without having to hold the bracket in place during this step.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of such a clamping bracket which can be adjusted along the length of the structural component while still maintaining the aforementioned clamping force, thereby easily allowing positional adjustments to be made prior to the affixing step.
A yet further object of the present invention is the provision of such a clamping bracket which can be easily adjusted to accommodate structural components of varying widths while still maintaining the aforementioned clamping force.
A still further object of the present invention is the provision of such a clamping bracket which can be easily adjusted by the installer/electrician in the field for both wood and metal studs of varying widths.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision such a clamping bracket which allows an offset to be maintained between the supporting structural component and the attached electrical receptacle box, thereby providing clearance for such items as cover plates, plaster rings, etc.
In addition to the objects and advantages of the present invention described above, various other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to those persons skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing Figures and appended claims.
In one aspect, the invention generally features an electrical receptacle box for mounting in an aperture of a wall member of a structure, the electrical receptacle box being for the receiving and at least partially enclosing of at least one electrical component and for the positioning of the electrical component within the aperture with respect to the wall member of the structure, the wall member of the structure having a front wall surface and a rear wall surface, the electrical receptacle box including a box, the box having a number of box panels interconnected to define and at least partially enclose a chamber for the mounting of the at least one electrical component therein, and a positioning device for positioning the box within the aperture with respect to the wall member, the positioning device including a front contact positioning device for contacting the front wall surface of the wall member to thereby position the box with respect to the wall member and a rear contact positioning device for contacting the rear wall surface of the wall member to thereby position the box with respect to the wall member.
In another aspect, the invention generally features a bracket for mounting an electrical receptacle box to a structure, the bracket including a clamping bracket for engaging opposing faces of a structural component of the structure and for exerting a clamping force on the structural component, the clamping bracket being slidable along the structural component while the clamping bracket exerts the clamping force on the structural component prior to the clamping bracket being fixedly secured to the structural component, the clamping bracket having a first leg member and a second leg member opposing the first leg member, at least a portion of one of the first leg member and second leg member having an adjustable biasing portion, the adjustable biasing portion being deflectable in a direction toward the other of the first leg member and the second leg member to thereby define a variable clamping gap between the adjustable biasing portion and the other of the first leg member and the second leg member, the adjustable biasing portion and the other of the first leg member and the second leg member exerting the clamping force on the structural component, and an attachment device for attaching the electrical receptacle box to the clamping bracket.
In yet another aspect, the invention generally features a device for positioning and subsequent securing of an electrical component to a structure, including a clamping bracket for engaging opposing faces of a structural component of the structure and for exerting a clamping force on the structural component, the clamping bracket being slidable along the structural component while the clamping bracket exerts the clamping force on the structural component prior to the clamping bracket being fixedly secured to the structural component, and an electrical receptacle box for attachment to the clamping bracket and for housing the electrical component, the electrical receptacle box having a first substantially planar face and the clamping bracket having a second substantially planar face for mating with the first substantially planar face of the electrical receptacle box.
The present invention will now be described by way of a particularly preferred embodiment, reference being made to the various Figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein: